Justice News

Dallas Couple Face Up To Life In Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty To Conspiracy And Sex Trafficking Of Children Offenses

DALLAS — A couple from Dallas, Erin Patton and Keith Williams, aka “Chucky Blood,” both 24, have pleaded guilty to their respective roles in sex trafficking a child, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Today, Patton pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children. Her boyfriend, Williams, pleaded guilty in February 2014 to one count of sex trafficking of children. Both Patton and Williams face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey will sentence the defendants this summer.

According to documents filed in the case, in September 2012, after she ran away from home, 14-year-old “Jane Doe” met Erin Patton. Patton let Jane Doe stay with her, and Patton facilitated Jane Doe’s engaging in commercial sex acts by driving her to locations where the acts occurred and providing her a cell phone so she could post her services on “Mocospace” and Backpage.com. Jane Doe gave Patton a portion of the money she earned from engaging in the sex acts.

Again, in November 2012, after she again ran away from home, Jane Doe contacted Patton. This time, both Patton and Williams picked up Jane Doe and posted her availability to engage in commercial sex acts on Backpage.com. While Williams went to serve a jail sentence shortly thereafter, Patton continued facilitating Jane Doe’s commercial sex acts. Jane Doe eventually left.

In April 2013, Jane Doe again contacted Patton and told her she was still in school, but wanted to leave and wanted Patton to pick her up. Patton and Williams agreed to let Jane Doe stay with them, but they told her she was going to have to engage in commercial sex acts, as she had done in the past, to pay for her expenses. Williams and/or Patton drove Jane Doe to meet with customers and Jane Doe gave all the money she earned to Williams and Patton.

On May 4, 2013, officers with the Dallas Police Department (DPD) encountered now 15-year-old Jane Doe, in a car parked in an area known for prostitution. Williams came by shortly thereafter. He admitted knowing she was 15, driving her to meet with customers, and collecting proceeds from her “dates.”

DPD led the investigation, with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cara Foos Pierce is prosecuting.